Study of energy transfer by electron cyclotron resonance in tokamak plasma

A theoretical study of energy transfer by electron cyclotron resonance to tokamak plasma is presented. Then the predictions of linear theory including relativistic effects on the wave absorption are examined. Electron-cyclotron (EC) absorption in tokamak plasma is based on interaction between wave and electron cyclotron movement when the electron passes through a layer of resonance at a fixed frequency which depends on the magnetic field. This technique is the principle of additional heating (ECRH) and the generation of non-inductive current drive (ECCD) in modern fusion devices. The power absorbed depends on the optical depth which in turn depends on coefficient of absorption and the order of the excited harmonic for O-mode or X-mode. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of [MEDGREEN-LB 2011]